Mercer Street Friends helps charitable agencies assist the needy

A van from the Mount Carmel Guild food pantry in Trenton is ready to be loaded with fresh produce and groceries from the Mercer Street Friends Food Bank warehouse in EwingMercer Street Friends

On the front line of the war on hunger in Mercer County are the faith-based organizations and social service agencies that provide supplies of food to help those in need get by each month.

The Mercer Street Friends Food Bank supplies food and groceries to 60 local agencies, including food pantries, shelters, soup kitchens and other meal sites. It has channeled more than 2.5 million pounds of food into the community this year through these partners to help feed more than 25,000 food-insecure children and adults.

While the national economy may be improving, that isn’t true in New Jersey’s capital, said Rose Bradley of Princeton Deliverance, a Trenton church whose food pantry is a member of the food bank.

“Things aren’t getting any better,” said Bradley. “They say the recession is over, but it’s not over in Trenton.”

Princeton Deliverance provides enough food at one time for several days. “We stress that it’s a supplement,” she said. “Some recipients also receive food stamps, but with the rising cost of food, it’s just not enough.”

Bradley said some recipients wait outside the church for more than an hour for their box of food, despite the weather.

“If they didn’t need it, they wouldn’t stand in line in the heat and cold,” she said.

Princeton Deliverance provides fresh produce when available, some kind of meat and nonperishables. A great deal of its food comes from Mercer Street Friends.

“Without the food bank, we wouldn’t be able to have the pantry,” said Bradley.

The church’s main clientele is the working poor, not people on welfare. “These are working people who don’t go through any system,” said Bradley. “These are families that are appreciative of what we give.”

Another Trenton organization assisting people facing food hardships is Mount Carmel Guild. Its emergency assistance program is under the direction of Sister Loretta Maggio.
As part of its services, the program provides a five-day supply of emergency food to those in need. Much of that food comes from the Mercer Street Friends Food Bank, which Maggio is quick to praise.

“When it comes to the Mercer Street Friends, the word that quickly comes to mind, especially during this holiday season, is blessing,” said Maggio. “Mercer Street Friends is a blessing to all the food pantries in Mercer County and thus to the many low-income people who are struggling to stretch their dollars to purchase food and pay their bills.”

“Phyllis Stoolmacher (director) and her staff are all about food security for low-income people,” she said. “They are hardworking, courteous, professional and, most importantly, they are people who care. They are aware of the importance of providing nutritious foods and especially its impact on our children. They are a large part of the reason that food pantries in Mercer County keep food on their shelves, while at the same time they keep the community up to date on hunger advocacy issues.”

Donations are important, Maggio said. “I am hopeful that just as they are a blessing to others, they will be blessed with many generous donations to support their work,” she said.

Donations for this year’s Holiday Appeal campaign will help ensure that the Food Bank’s warehouse remains stocked with nutritious food to fill the growing demand during these very difficult times.

The Rose and Louis H. Linowitz Charitable Foundation has pledged to match the next $5,000 raised from contributors, challenging the community to be generous this holiday season.

To make a donation in support of the Mercer Street Friends Food Bank, make your check payable to The Times Holiday Appeal and mail it to Times Charities Inc., 413 River View Plaza, Trenton, NJ 08611.

All gifts will be acknowledged in The Times. Anonymity will be granted if requested.
For more information about the Mercer Street Friends Food Bank, call (609) 406-0503 or www.mercerstreetfriends.org.